Printing press



Jul 27, 1937. A. KLUGE ET AL PRINTING PRESS Filed Dec. 50, 1952 p '7 Sheets-Sheet 1 amt e and 11312 Abel KIuIg EnevalK July 27, 1937.

Filed Dec; 50, 1932 A. KLUGE ET AL 2,083,377

PRINTING PRESS 7 Sheets-Sheet 2 Qwwnfoz Abel Gage EneOql K 11 and Cube rump July 21,1937. A KLU E ET A 2,088,377

PRINTING PRESS Filed Dec. 30, 1952 '7 Shets-S'neet 5 amulet Abel Klu b and Eneval 111 b July 27, 1 37- A. KLUGE ET AL PRINTING PRESS Filed Dec. 30, 1932 7 Sheets-Sheet 4 gwuentoz Abel Kluge and Eneval Kluge y 1937. A. KLUGE ET AL 2,088,377

PRINTING PRESS Filed Dec. 50, 1932 7 Sh'eets-Shet 5 gwntc Abel K111 e and Eneval K 11 7 Jul 27, 1937: I A. KLLIGE ET Al. 2,088,377

Y I PRINTING PRESS "Filed Dec. 50, 1952 7 she twsheet v Kluge cmolv 100 I v Enevul K July 27, 19379 A. KLUGE ET AL PRINTING PRESS Filed Dec. 50, 1932 7 Sheebs-Sheet 7 .gwuanlo o Abel Klu8;e"and Eneval K uge FIG Patented July 27, 1937 PRINTING PRESS I Abel Kluge and Eneval Kluge, St. Paul. Minn assignors to Brandtien and Kluge, 1110., St. Paul, Minn, a corporation of Minnesota Application December 30, 1932, Serial No. 849,569

33 Claims.

Our invention relates to printing presses of the bed and platen typ with which are incorporated automatic mechanism for feeding the blank sheets to, and delivering the printed sheets from.

the platen, and has as its principal object the improvement of the operation of such presses, particularly in the matter of the delivery of the printed sheets, especially at high operating speeds.

In presses of the bed and platen type it is usual to provide platen grippers, or "frisket fingers, which clamp the sheet against the platen during the printing operation, and serve to pull the sheet away from the type when the platen starts to recede from the type bed. Such platen grippers as commonly constructed and operated, start to open away from the platen very shortly after the printing impression has been taken, and have reached a position considerably separated from the platen by the time the latter has arrived at its open" position, away from the type-bed. Thus during the movement of the platen away from the type-bed, which movement in modern automatic platen presses, often occurs at very high speeds, the printed sheet is not confined in any way and may curl, or be blown, away from the platen surface. In such circumstances delivery of the printed sheet is made difficult, and often cannot be accomplished at all.

According to our invention the platen grippers are constructed and operated in such manner that they remain in effect. continuing to hold the sheet against the platen, for a material period after the impression has been taken, and until the device for delivering the printed sheet has come into cooperative relation with the latter. The platen grippers are coordinated with the delivery means in this respect, and are, further coordinated with the means for feeding the blank sheets in such manner that the latter can be fed to the platen, beneath the platen grippers, during the short period of the platen cycle which is available for that operation. The result of this construction and coordination of the parts is that the blank sheets can be fed to the platen beneath the platen grippers rapidly and as usual, but the printed sheets are held firmly clamped against the platen until substantially the moment when they are seized by the delivery means. There is no possibility of the printed sheets curling, or being blown, out of position, and their delivery can be effected safely and with certainty at practically any speed which the remainder of the automatic mechanism will withstand.

To the above end, generally stated, the invention resides in the novel combination and arrangement of parts and in the details of construction hereinafter described and claimed.

In the drawings, whereinwe have illustrated one embodiment of our invention, Fig. 1 is an elevational view as seen from the left sideof the structure, said view showing the press parts, the. sheet feeding and delivering mechanisms and parts of the platen gripper operating mechanism; Fig. 2 is an elevational view of said structure as seen from the right side thereof; Fig. 3 is a perspective view in detail showing particularly the platen grippers and their operating mechanism, and the delivery grips and the mountings employed therefor, the grippers being shown as just having left the face of the open platen in their ascent therefrom, and the delivery grips being shown as Just having descended into contact with the sheet released by said grippers; Fig. 4 is an elevational view, in detail, further illustrating the grippers and their operating parts, said grippers being shown in sheet holding position against the face of the closed platen; Fig. 5 is an elevational view in detail showing the gears, cams and associated parts of the driving mechanism through which the platen is rocked and the sheet feeding and delivering members operated; Figs. 6 to 13 inclusive, are diagrammatical views illustrating the relative positions assumed by the sheet feeding and sheet delivering members, and the platen and plates grippers, and the operating cams for said members and gripp rs.

Reference being had to the drawings. wherein similar reference characters are employed to designate similar parts throughout the several views, it will be observed that the illustrated embodiment of our invention includes a press frame It upon which a. bed If and platen I! are rockably mounted and further includes a stock magazine A, sheet feeding mechanism B and sheet delivery mechanism C.

The press structure is of the so-called Gordon type, the angle through which the platen rock: being relatively small and the dwell of the plate: in its open position being relatively short to th( enhancement of speedy operation.

The bed H, pivoted at the lower ends of it:

legs 83 on a bed shaft ll, carries an ink plate it and is supplied with form rollers i6 and rolle1 frame members i'l, one thereof being connectec with the main frame in through a side link it.

A drive shaft l9, journaled in the frame II and supplied with a fly wheel and drive pulley (n01 shown), has a gear 20 secured thereto, the same meshing with the gear portion 2! of a cam-gee] or bull wheel 22 mounted on a main shaft 23 alsl journaled in the frame It. The platen I2 is mounted on a platen rocker member pivoted on trunnions 24 mounted on the frame l and is opened and closed by being rocked back and forth between printing position (Fig. 1) and fully open position (Fig. 3). The axis of the trunnions 24 is beneath the face of the platen and in a plane at right angles thereto intersecting the same along a line between the upper and lower edges of the platen, the gauge pin zone or area in which the platen gauge pins are placed being embraced between said line and the lower edge of the platen. Said platen derives its rocking motion through an arm 25 (Fig. flxed'to one of the platen rocker trunnions 24, said arm having a roller thereon, which follows an inside-outside cam 21, on the bull wheel 22. Also mounted on the main shaft 23 is a crank wheel 25. This crank wheel 28, at the left side of the frame It, and the bull wheel 22, at the right side of said frame, are connected with the bed through side arms 29. These side arms serve to swing the bed into printing position, when the platen I2 is tipped to receive the impression, and to swing said bed back, after the impression is taken.

The stock magazine A includes an inclined table upon which sheets of a pack to be printed are slidably supported on edge, a sliding back rest The feeding mechanism B, constructed andoperating much the same as the sheet feeding devicesdisclosed in Patents Nos. 1,472,656 and 1,592,635, includes an oscillating suction arm of tubular construction carrying a number of suction feed grips 35 on a cross-bar 31 secured to the free end of said arm. This arm 35 is mounted on an eccentric in a head bearing 38, supported on a tubular standard 39 above the press structure, and swings back and forth between the magazine A and platen l2. Suction is created at the grips 35 by a suction pump (not shown) such pump being connected with the grips through the standard 39, arm 35 and tubes "H.

In the cycle of movement of said arm 35, the suction feed grips 35 grasp the foremost sheet of the pack at its lower margin (Fig. 1) and carry it, edge foremost, across the platen toward the lower edge thereof, depositing the sheet on the platen with its front edge against or near the lower platen gauges 50 (Figs. 3 and 5) in whatever position said gauges may occupy on the platen. Upon completing its sheet carrying throw (Fig. 13), said feed arm 35 swings back to starting position (Figs. 1 and 9) to take another sheet from the magazine. The operation of the eccentric mounting for the feed arm 35 causes the feed grips 35 to be thrust into the magazine for a sheet and to be withdrawn therefrom with the grasped sheet. Also, it corrects themovement of the feed grips 35, causing them to travel close to and substantially parallel with the lower portion of the platen on their feeding throw and to return in a. higher path clearing the deposite sheet and the closing platen.

The feed arm 35 is swung back and forth by means of a rocker-arm 4| and a link 42 connected therewith, while the eccentric bearing for said feed arm 35 is shifted by means of a rockerdisk 43 and a link 44. Link 42 is reciprocated through a lever (Figs. 2 and 5) operated by a cam 45, while link 44 is reciprocated through a lever 41 operated by a cam 48, both cams 45 and 48 constituting elements of a cam assembly, which is mounted on -a shaft 49 at the side of the frame Ill and driven from the cam-gear or bull wheel 22 through reduction gears 50, 5| and a cam-gear 52 forming a part of said cam assembly. Spring pressed push-rods 53 and 54 yieldingly act upon said levers 45 and 41 respectively, to hold their respective cam followers 55 and 55 on their respective cams 45 and 45.

The delivery mechanism B, constructed and operating somewhat in the same manner as the sheet delivering device disclosed in Patent No. 1,621,547, includes an oscillating track 51 occupying a position beneath the magazine A, the rearward end of said track being pivoted as at 55 to a bracket 59 on the frame I, said track extending forwardly from its pivot toward the platen I2. Reciprocably mounted on the track 51 is a carriage 55 carrying a tubular support, 5| on which delivery suction grips 52 are universally mounted. Each grip 52 comprises a hollow stemlike body and a down turned suction tip, and each mounting for each grip comprises two clamps 53 and 54 (Fig. 3), clamp 53 being slidable and angularly, adjustable on the tubular support 5|, while clamp 54 is swingable substantially horizontally on clamp 52 and slidably receives the body of its respective grip 52. In each grip mounting, a clamping bolt 55, common to both clamps 53 and 54, secures said clamps and their companion grip 52 in different adjusted relations. Suction tubes 55 connect the ends of the suction grips 52, through a Y fitting 51, with the tubular support 5|, which, in turn, is connected through a tube 59 with the suction pump.

The delivery grips 52 have a cycle of movement, wherein the forward ends thereof are projected over the' upper edge of the platen I2 in,.the final stage of the opening throw of said platen (Fig. 9), such forward movement of said grips being occasioned by the advancement of the carriage on the track 51. 'As the platen l2 reaches its open position (Fig. 10), the grips 52 dip down into position substantially parallel with the face of the open platen. Having grasped the printed sheet, the grips 52 are retracted upon a retreating movement of the carriage on track 51, the grasped sheet being released from said grips in position abovea delivering table 59 to which said sheet settles by gravity. At this stage, the track 51 is swung upwardly, returning to its original position, the grips 52 being thereafter advanced to again reach over the upper edge of the platen, as it nears its fully open position. The grip carriage 55 is reciprocated on the track 51 through an arm 15 oonnected at its upper end to said carriage 50 by means of a link 1|, said arm being pivoted at its lower end on a frame bracket 12. This arm 10 is swung to and fro through a connecting rod 13 operated by an arm 14 of a bell-crank 15 rockably mounted on the frame ID, the second arm 15 of said bellcrank having a cam follower 11 riding a cam 15 of the cam assembly and also having ,a spring pressed push-rod 19 to keep said follower on the receding portion of said cam I8. The track 51 is oscillated through a rod 88 and cam lever 8|, the latter having a follower 82 which rides the cam 83 of the previously mentioned cam gear 52.

Platen grippers 84 (Fig; 3) of familiar,bar-like construction are mounted at the bases thereof on a gripper supporting bar 85, trunnioned at itsends in ears 88 at the,lower corners of the platen I2, said grippers having the usual clamping bolts 81 for slidably adjusting the same along said gripper supporting bar 85. These grippers 84, swinging with their hinged supporting bar 85, are closed against the platen I2 and opened, during each cycle of movement of said ,platen, in

a novel manner and by novel means as will now,

be described.

The gripper supporting bar 85 ,is provided at the left end thereof with an arm 88 having thereon a roller or cam follower 89, which rides an arouate cam surface 98 ,of a cam quadrant 9I. This cam quadrant 9| is rockably mounted on a stud 92, issuing from the frame I8, and is provided with a roller or cam follower '93 which rides a cam 94 secured to the inner face of the crank disk 28.

A tension spring,85 anchored at one end on a issuing from the platen I2 and fastened at-its other end to the arm 88 on the gripper supporting bar 85 functions as follows: It acts upon the arm 88 to hold the roller 89 against the cam surface 98 of the cam quadrant 9|, when said surface recedes from said roller 89 and it acts upon said cam quadrant to hold the quadrant roller 93 against the receding surface of the cam 98, such action being accompanied with a swinging movement of the gripper supporting bar 85, by reason of which the grippers 84 are opened or, as may be said, swung away,from the platen I2. In the closing of the grippers 84 against the platen I2, the gripper supporting bar 85 is swung. against the action of the spring 95,

by the cam 94, which swings the cam quadrant 8|, and by said quadrant, which, in turn, acts upon said arm 88 on the supporting bar 85.

The cam 94 on the crank disk 28 has a uniform high surface 91 which comes into engagement with the cam .quadrant roller 93 (Figs. 4

and 8) when the platen reaches impression position, and which continues to engage said roller 98, as the impression occurs, and untilthe platen, in thereafter opening, reaches its fully open position. In such relation of the cam 94 and cam quadrant 9|, the arcuatesurface 98 of the latter is concentric with the axis of the platen rocker trunnions 24, with the result that the angular disposition of the hinged supporting bar 85 is such as to keep the grippers 84 in sheet holding position against the face of the platen I2.

Opposite said uniform .high portion 91- of the cam 94 is a uniform low portion 98, and receding from said high. portion 91 to said low portion 98 is portion 99, which, when ,in play, pennits the spring 95 to open the grippers (Figs. 10 and 11), said low portion 98, when in play, serving as a limit stop for.the grippers 84 in their fully open position. At the side, of the cam 94, opposite the portion 99 and between said high and low portions, is a portion I88, the contour of which is substantially symmetrical with that of portion 99, said portion I88, when in play (Figs. 6-8) serving to reposition the cam quadrant ,8I-for the subsequent holding of the grippers 84 against the opening platen and serving also to compensate for the tipping of the platen I2, whereby the grippers 84 are stationed to meet the sheet feed grips thereof until it is withdrawn on the platen, as it arrives at printing position.

In operating the grippers ,84, as above explained, to keep them closed against the opening platen I2, a printed sheet is held on the platen until the platen is fully or sheet, thus held, being kept from curling or from being otherwise displaced from the position on the platen in which it was ,printed as by the rapid opening movement of the platen, or by the action of sheet registering or other sheet positioning means that may be employed. Consequently, there is no danger of the delivery grips 82 failing to grasp the printed sheet by passing under-instead of over ,it, or of said grips colliding with the upper edge of the sheet, or of said grips, in proper adjustment, smearing ink on the sheet. In this connection, it will be understood, of course, that the delivery grips 82 are adjusted to grasp a sheet at available uninked localities and that all sheets presented, under control of the platen grippers 84, to the grips ,82, properly adjusted for the job, will be consistently similarly engaged by said grips, without harm to the fresh printing.

As previously indicated, the delivery grips 82 reach over the upper edge of the platen I2 and the printed sheet thereon, during the final stage of the opening throw of said platen. These delivery grips 82 dip toward the sheet, reaching it as the platen comes to dwell.- Substantially simultaneously with this dipping movement of the delivery grips 82, the grippers 84 start their opening movement and thus free the printed sheet to said grips, which pull said sheet, edge .foremost from the platen, in the plane thereof,

to a position over the delivery table 89, where they release said sheet. Thus, it will become evident that the grippers 84, after retaining control of the printed sheet until the platen is open, relinquish control thereof as the delivery grips 82 assume control. After the grippers 84, in their initial opening movement, have released the printed sheet to the delivery grips 82, said grippers 84 continue their opening swing away from the platen (Fig. 11). At this point, it may be noted. that the feed arm 35, with its trailing sheet, is entering over the platen; that the delivery grips 82, with the trailing printed sheet, are moving to clear said feed arm 85 and its fresh sheet, and that the grippers 84 are swinging safely inadvance of the feed arm. This movement of the grippers 84 in advance of the feed arm, keeps said grippers clear of the cross-bar 31 on which the feed grips also keeps :clear of the feed arm 85, the string, which is customarily stretched from one gripper to the other.

As will now be readily appreciated, our invention provides for the uninterrupted control of a sheet, in the handling thereof, from the time it is taken from the pack offresh stock until it is delivered to the pile of printed sheets. In thus handling a sheet, it has been seen that the 38 take the sheet from the magazine A and carry it under control to the platen gauges 48; that said gauges control the I position of the fed sheet on the closing platen; that after the impression and while the platen opens, the

grippers 84 have control of the printed sheet, and that, as said grippers free the printed sheet on the open platen, the delivery grips 82 take over the control of said, sheet and retain control from the platen and released over the delivery table.

The exceptional advantages in speed of oper- ,nearly open, such 88 are mounted, and.

'sheet delivering mechanism, will be readily comprehended.

Changes in the specific form of our invention, as herein disclosed, may be made within the scope of what is claimed without departing from the spirit of our invention.

Having described our invention, what we claim as new and desire to protect by Letters Patent is:

1. In combination, a bed, a platen, means for moving the platen into and out of printing position, means for feeding sheets to the platen to be printed and means for taking printed sheets from the platen when it is out of printing position, and means for holding a printed sheet on the platen as it moves away from printing position, said sheet holding means being adapted to release the printed sheet to the sheet taking means substantially at the time of the assumption of control of the sheet by said latter means.

2. In combination, a bed for a. printing form, a platen movable, relative to said bed, from open sheet receiving position to closed printing position and back again, means for thus moving said platen, means for holding a printed sheet flatly on the opening platen and for releasing said sheet from the platen in the sheet receiving position thereof, and means for grasping the printed sheet substantially at the time of its release and thereafter removing said sheet from said platen. Y

3. In combination, a bed, a platen, means for rocking the platen into and out of printing DQ51- tion, means for feeding sheets to the platen when it is out of printing position, platen grippers for holding a printed sheet on said platen as it rocks away from printing position, a sheet delivery member, means for moving the grippers away from the platen to release the printed sheet thereon, means for moving the delivery member toward the platen to engage the printed sheet, said means for moving the grippers and said means for moving said delivery member cooperating to cause the printed sheet to be engaged by said delivery member substantially concurrently with the release thereof by said grippers and to cause the concurrent retreat of the grippers and the delivery member from the fully open platen.

4. In a press structure, a bed, a platen, means for imparting to the platen a cycle of movement in which said platen is moved toward the bed into printing position and away from the bed to receive a fresh sheet and to deliver the printed sheet, platen grippers on said platen, and means for moving said grippers, said means including two coacting cams operating to hold the grippers in sheet holding position against the platen throughout the greater part of its movement away from said bed.

5. In a press structure, a rocking platen; a gripper supporting bar hinged on said platen, platen grippers mounted on said bar, a rotational cam, an arm on said bar, a rocking cam cooperating with said first cam and with said arm, tension means acting on said arm to hold it against the rocking cam and, in turn, to hold said rocking cam against said rotational cam, said tension means operating to swing the grippers way from the open platen, and said cams operating to close the grippers and to hold them closed against the opening platen substantially throughout its entire opening movement.

6. In a press structure, a frame, a rocking platen pivoted on said frame and adapted to tip back from printing position. into an open position, a supporting bar hinged on said platen at the lower edge thereof, platen grippers mounted on said bar, means for operating said grippers, said means including a rocking cam having an arcuate cam surface, an arm on said bar cooperating with said cam surface, and a rotational cam cooperating with said rocking cam, said rocking cam occupying a position with its said cam surface concentrically disposed with respect to the pivotal axis of said platen, during substantially the entire opening swing of the platen, whereby the grippers are held closed against the platen throughout thegreater part of its opening movement.

'7. A gripper mechanism for a printing unit having a main shaft, a bed and a platen rocked from said shaft, and also having a sheet delivery member movable over the open platen to and from sheet taking position, said gripper mechanism comprising a supporting bar hinged on said platen at the lower edge thereof, platen grip pers mounted on said bar, and means for operating said grippers to open and close the same, said means including a rocking cam having an arcuate cam surface, an arm on said bar cooperating with said cam surface, and a. rotational cam mounted on the main shaft of the unit and cooperating with said rocking cam, said rocking cam occupying a position with its said cam surface concentrically disposed with respect to the pivotal axis of said platen during the opening swing thereof, whereby the grippers are held closed against the opening platen, said means effecting the opening of the grippers substantially at the time of the taking of the printed sheet by said delivery member.

8. A gripper mechanism for printing units having a bed and a rocking platen and sheet feeding and delivery members movable over the open platen, the former to and from sheet depositing position and the latter to and from sheet taking position, said gripper mechanism including a gripper supporting bar hinged on said platen, platen grippers mounted on said bar, a rotational cam, an arm on said bar, a rocking cam cooperating with said first cam and with said arm, tension means acting on said arm to hold it against the rocking cam and, in turn, to hold said rocking cam against said rotational cam, said tension means operating to open the grippers from the open platen substantially at the time of the taking of the printed sheet by the delivery member, said cams cooperating to close the grippers against the platen, the rocking cam having an arcuate cam surface disposed concentrically with respect to the pivotal axis of the platen during the opening swing thereof to hold the grippers closed against the opening" platen, said cams further cooperating to restrain the action of said tension means in opening the grippers and at the same time effect the opening of said grippers in advance of the sheet feeding member in its movement over the platen to sheet depositing position.

9. A gripper mechanism for printing units having a bed and a rocking platen and a sheet delivery member movable over the open platen to and from sheet taking position, said gripper mechanism including a gripper supporting bar hinged on said platen, platen grippers mounted on said bar, a rotational cam, an arm on said bar, a rocking cam cooperating with said first cam and with said arm, tension means acting on said arm to hold it against the rocking cam and, in turn, to hold said rocking cam against said rotational cam, said tension means. operating to open the grippers from the open platen substantially at the time of the taking of the printed sheet by the delivery member, said cams cooperating to close the grippers against the platen, the rocking cam having an arcuate cam surface disposed concentrically with respect to the pivotal axis of the platen during the opening swing thereof to hold the grippers closed against the opening platen.

10. A gripper mechanism for printing units having a bed and a rocking platen and sheet feeding and delivery members movable over the open platen to and from sheet depositing and sheet taking positions, said mechanism including grippers on the platen and operating mechanism therefor acting to cause the grippers to hold a printed sheet against the opening platen, also to open said grippers from the open platen substantially at the time of the taking of the printed sheet by the delivery member and, further, to move the opening grippers in advance of the sheet feeding member in its movement toward sheet depositing position.

11. A gripper mechanism for printing units having a bed and a rocking platen and a sheet delivery member movable over the platen to and from sheet taking position, said mechanism including grippers on the platen and operating mechanism therefor acting to cause the grippers to hold a printed sheet against the opening platen and to open said grippers from the open platen substantially at the time of the taking of the printed sheet by said delivery member.

12. In a press structure, a bed for a printing form, a platen movable toward the bed into an impression position and away from the bed into a retracted sheet delivery position, a gripper mounted on the platen, means for moving the gripper into and away from sheet holding position against the platen, said gripper being adapted to strip a printed sheet from the form at.

the beginning of the retracting movement of the platen and to hold such sheet against the platen substantially throughout the retracting movement thereof. v

13. In a printing unit, a bed, a rocking platen, means for rocking the platen from open sheet receiving position to closed printing position and back again, a feed member, means for moving said member forth and back to 'feed sheets across the open platen from the rear thereof, grippers on the platen, gripper operating means causing said grippers to hold a printed sheet against the opening platen and acting to open said grippers from the platen in its open position, a delivery member having delivery grips and means for moving said member to carry the delivery grips forwardly over the upper edge of the opening platen and downwardly to the printed sheet thereon and back again, the platen grippers and delivery grips being constructed and arranged to pass each other, the gripper operating means and the means for moving the feed anddelivery members cooperating to cause the delivery grips to pass the platen grippers and assume sheet taking position substantially at the beginning of the opening movement of said grippers and to keep the opening grippers in advance and cle of the advancing feed member.

14. In a printing unit, a bed, a rocking plati means for rocking the platen from open she receiving position to closed printing position a: back again, grippers on the platen, gripper o erating means causing said grippers to hold printed sheet against the opening platen a1 acting to open said grippers from the platen its open position, a delivery member having d livery grips, and means for moving said memb to carry the delivery grips forwardly over t1 upper edge of the opening platen and dow wardly to the printed sheet thereon and be again, the platen grippers and delivery grips b ing constructed and arranged to pass each Othl the gripper operating means and the means i moving the delivery members cooperating to can grips and being movable to carry said grips fc wardly over the platen to sheet taking positic means for operating the grippers and the fe and delivery member to cause them to coopere and bring the delivery grips over the closed gri pers on the opening platen and to open said gri pers away from the opened platen in advan of the feed member on its sheet feeding thro 16. In a printing unit, a bed, a rocking plate means for rocking the platen from open she receiving position to closed printing position a: back again, grippersmounted on the platen a: movable against the same to hold a printed she thereon, a de'livery member having delivery gri and being movable to carry said grips forwarc over the platen to sheet taking position, mea for operating the grippers and the delivery me] her to cause them to cooperate and bring-t delivery grips over the closed grippers on t opening platen and to open said grippers aw from the opened platen, starting such opening said grippers substantially at the time of the 2 58311111317101]. of sheet taking position by said delive ps. 17. In a. printing structure, a bed, a rocki platen pivoted about an axis beneath the plat face and in a plane at right angles thereto inti secting the same along a line between the lip; and lower-edges of the platen, said platen ha ing a gauge pin zonebetween said line and said lower edge, means for rocking the plat from open sheet receiving position to clot printing position and back again, grippers mc ably mounted on the platen, and means for mc ing said grippers against the platen and an therefrom, said meanscausing said rippers holda printed sheet on the face of the openi platen until the platen approximates its 0; position of rest, whereby the printed sheet, co fined to its registered'and printed position on i platen is presented for delivery;- on the o1: platen, a delivery member having a delivery g and movable to carry said grip into a position take the printed sheet, said member being ada ed to grasp the printed sheet at the surf:

thereof and take it from its said registered and printed position on the platen.

18. In a printing structure, a bed, a rocking platen pivoted about an axis beneath the platen face and in a plane at right angles thereto intersecting the same along a line between the upper and lower edges of the platen, said platen having a gauge pin zone between said line and its said lower edge, means for rocking the platen from open sheet receiving position to closed printing position and back again, grippers movably mounted on the platen, and means for moving said grippers against the platen and away therefrom, said means causing said grippers to hold a printed sheet on the face of the opening platen until the platen approximates its open position of rest, whereby the printed sheet is presented for delivery in a controlledvposition corresponding with the position on the platen in which it was printed.

19. A gripper mechanism for printing units having a frame and a bed and a rocking platen on said frame, said gripper mechanism including a gripper supporting bar hinged on said platen, platen grippers mounted on said bar, a rotational cam mounted on said frame, an arm on said bar, a rocking cam mounted on the frame and cooperating with said first cam and with said arm, tension means interposed between said frame and arm acting on said arm to hold it against the rocking cam and, in turn, to hold said rocking cam against said. rotational cam, said tension means operating to open the grippers from the open platen, said cams cooperating to close the grippers against the platen, the rocking cam having an arcuate cam surface disposed concentrically with respect to the pivotal axis of the platen during the greater part of the opening swing oi said platen to hold the grippe closed thereagainst, said cams further cooperating to restrain the action of said tension means in opening the grippers and at the same time effect the opening of said grippers in an opening movement continuing after the platen reaches fully open position.

20. In a press structure, a bed, a platen, means for imparting to the platen a cycle of movement in which said platen is closed against the bed for the impression and opened away from the bed j to receive a fresh sheet and to deliver the printed sheet, said platen moving means providing for dwell of the platen in its fully open position, platen grippers movable from. position against the platen away therefrom and back again, and means for moving said grippers. said means including coacting cams operating to hold the grippers in sheet holding position against the platen throughout the greater part of its opening movement and to move said grippers from said platen a continuing while the platen is at dwell.

21. In a press structure, a bed, a platen, means for imparting to the platen a cycle of movement in which said platen is closed against the bed for the impression and opened away from the bed to 5 receive a fresh sheet-and to deliver the printed sheet, platen grippers on said platen movable from a position against the platen away therefrom and back again, and means for moving said s lpp r said means operating to initiate o the opening movement of said grippers substantially uponthe arrival of said platen in its fully open position and thereafter to continue such gripper opening movement.

22. In a press structure, a bed, a movable r5 platen, means for imparting to the platen a cycle of movement in which said platen is closed against the bed for the impression and opened away from the bed to receive a fresh sheet and to deliver the printed sheet, platen grippers on said platen, and means for moving said grippers, said means ,operating to hold the grippers in sheet holding position against the platen durin the major portion of its opening movement and futher operating to open said grippers from the platen continuing such gripper opening movement after the platen reaches fully open position.

23. In a printing unit, a bed, a rocking platen having sheet positioning gauges thereon, means for rocking the platen from open sheet receiving position to closed printing position and back again, said platen rocking means providing for a dwell of the platen in its open position, a feed member, means for moving said member forth and back to feed sheets across the open platen thence rearwardly to remove the printed sheet from said platen, said grippers, in their opening movement, being kept in advance of the feed member in its forward sheet feeding movement over the platen.

24. In a platen printing press, the combination of a platen, means for oscillating said platen between the sheet-receiving and printing position, grippers mounted for pivotal movement with respect to said platen and adapted to engage a sheet on the platen when the latter is in printing position, and means for maintaining said grippers in engagement with said sheet until the platenhas returned to substantially the sheetreceiving position.

' 25. In a platen printing press, the combination of a platen oscillatable between a sheet-receiving and a printing position, grippers angularly movable with respect to said platen, and means for maintaining said grippers substantially-parallel with the platen during the major portion of the movement of the platen from the printing to the sheet-receiving position. v

26. In a platen printing press, the combination of a platen oscillatable between a sheet-receiving and a printing position, grippers angularly movable with respect to said platen, means for maintaining said grippers parallel with the platen during the major portion of the movement of the platen from the printing to the sheetreceiving position, and means for thereafter moving said grippers away from said platen.

27. In a platen printing press, the combination of a platen oscillatable' between a sheet-receiving and a printing position, grippers mounted for pivotal movement towards and away from said platen, means'for maintaining said grippers in contact with asheet on said platen during movement of the. platen from the printing to the sheet-receiving position, and means for suddenly moving said grippers away from said platen in the last stages of said movement.

28. Ina platen printing press, the combination of a platen oscillatable between a sheet-receiving and a printing position, grippers mounted for pivotal movement toward and away from saidplaten, and cam and lever means for maintaining said grippers in contact with a sheet on said platen during the major portion of the movement of the platen from the printing to the' sheet-receiving position. Y

29. In a platen printing press, the combination of a platen, means for oscillating said platen.

between the sheet-receiving and printing positions, grippers mounted forpivotal movement with respect to said platen and adapted to engage a sheet on the platen when the latter is in printing position, and means independent of the oscillation of the-platen or platen oscillating means for maintaining said grippers in engagement with said sheet until the platen has returned to substantially the sheet-receiving position.

30. In a platen printing press, the combination of a platen oscillatable between a'sheet-receiving and a printing position, grippers. angularly movable with respect to said platen, and means independent of the oscillation of the platen for maintaining said grippers substantially parallelwith the platen during the major portion of the movement of the platen from the printing to the v sheet-receiving position.

31. In a platen printing press, the combination of a platen, means for oscillating said platen between the sheet-receiving and printing position,

grippers mounted for pivotal movement with respect to said platen and adapted to engage a sheet on the platen when the latter is in printing position, and means for maintaining said grippers in engagement with said sheet during the major portion of the movement of the platen from the printing to the sheet-receiving position and for thereafter moving said grippers away from said platen, said last-named means comprising a cam and a member pivotally mounted on the frame of said press and movable about its pivot by said cam.

32. In a platen printing press, the combination of a. platen, means for oscillating said platen between the sheet-receiving and printing position, grippers mountedv for pivotal movement with respect to said platen and adapted to engage a sheet on the platen when the latter is in printing position, and means for maintaining said grippers in engagement with said sheet during the major portion of the movement of the platen from the printing to the'sheetwreceivingposition and for thereafter moving said grippers away from said platen, said last named means comprising a cam, a member'pivotally mounted on the frame of said press and a spring biasing said member towardssaid cam.

33. In a platen printing press, the combination of a platen, means for oscillating said platen.

between the sheet-receiving and printing .posiprising a cam mounted on the shaft upon which the platen oscillating means is mounted, a member pivotally mounted on the frame of said press and a spring biasing said member towards said cam.

ABEL KLUGE. ENEVAL KLUGE. 

